Act I - Scene I Rome. A Street Practice Quiz — The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
by William Shakespeare — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Act I - Scene I Rome. A Street
Where does Act I, Scene 1 of Julius Caesar take place?
The scene takes place on a street in Rome, where commoners have gathered to celebrate Caesar's triumphant return.
Why are the commoners in the streets instead of at work?
They have taken a holiday to see Caesar and rejoice in his triumph over Pompey's sons.
What do Flavius and Marullus order the commoners to do?
They order the commoners to go home, fall upon their knees, and pray to the gods to forgive their ingratitude toward Pompey.
How do the commoners react after Marullus's speech shaming them?
They "vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness," dispersing silently without defending themselves.
What does Flavius instruct Marullus to do after the commoners leave?
He tells Marullus to go toward the Capitol and strip any ceremonial decorations from Caesar's statues.
What is Flavius's plan to limit Caesar's power at the end of the scene?
Flavius plans to remove decorations from Caesar's statues, drive away the crowds, and eliminate the public displays of support that elevate Caesar's status.
Who are Flavius and Marullus?
They are Roman tribunes — elected officials whose role is to protect the interests of the common people (plebeians).
How does the cobbler outwit Marullus during their exchange?
The cobbler uses puns and double meanings to deflect Marullus's questions, calling himself a "mender of bad soles" and playing on "awl" to mean "all," frustrating the tribune.
How do Flavius and Marullus differ in personality in this scene?
Marullus is the more emotional and passionate speaker, delivering a stirring rebuke of the crowd, while Flavius is the practical strategist who devises the plan to strip Caesar's statues.
Why does Marullus mention Pompey in his speech to the commoners?
He reminds them that they once celebrated Pompey with equal devotion, exposing their fickleness in now cheering for the man who conquered him.
What theme about public opinion does Act I, Scene 1 establish?
The scene establishes the fickleness of public loyalty — the same citizens who once adored Pompey now celebrate Caesar, showing how easily the Roman populace shifts allegiance.
How does this scene introduce the theme of political power?
The tribunes' fear of Caesar's growing influence and their efforts to strip his statues show that political power depends on public symbols and popular support, not just military strength.
What does Flavius's concern about "servile fearfulness" reveal about the play's themes?
It introduces the tension between individual liberty and tyranny — Flavius fears that unchecked popularity will allow Caesar to dominate Rome and reduce its citizens to servitude.
What literary device does the cobbler use when he calls himself a "mender of bad soles"?
He uses a pun, playing on "soles" (shoe bottoms) and "souls" (spirits), suggesting he mends people's spirits as well as their footwear.
What rhetorical device does Marullus use in his repeated "And do you now" questions?
He uses anaphora — the repetition of a phrase at the beginning of successive clauses — to build emotional intensity and guilt.
What metaphor does Flavius use to describe Caesar's power at the end of the scene?
He compares Caesar to a bird, saying that removing public tributes will pluck "growing feathers" from Caesar's wing and prevent him from soaring above ordinary men.
What is the meaning of "mechanical" as used in this scene?
In Elizabethan English, "mechanical" means belonging to the laboring or artisan class — manual workers who perform trades.
What does "replication" mean when Marullus says the Tiber trembled to hear "the replication of your sounds"?
Replication means echo or reverberation. Marullus describes the crowd's cheers for Pompey as so loud that they echoed off the riverbanks.
What does "intermit" mean in the line "Pray to the gods to intermit the plague"?
Intermit means to temporarily stop or withhold. Marullus tells the commoners to pray that the gods hold back the punishment their ingratitude deserves.
What is the significance of Marullus calling the commoners "You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things"?
Marullus compares the people to inanimate objects to emphasize their moral blindness — they are worse than stones because stones at least cannot betray a former leader.
What does Flavius's line "These growing feathers pluck'd from Caesar's wing" foreshadow?
It foreshadows the conspirators' later attempt to "clip" Caesar's power through assassination, suggesting that small acts of resistance will escalate into drastic action.